1977 National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Scholarship Award Winner

1977 First-Team Academic All-American

1977 First-Team Academic All-Big 8

1976 First-Team Academic All-Big 8

1976 UPI Big Eight Offensive Newcomer-of-the-Year

1976 (Senior)Tabbed an All-American by Football News, Ferragamo was co-captain of the 1976 Husker team that finished 9-3-1 and defeated Texas Tech in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl. Hero of the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl, Vince directed Nebraska two come-from-behind scores in the third quarter that gave the game to the Huskers.

Established himself as one of Nebraska’s premiere quarterbacks when he set the Husker record for most touchdown passes in a season – 22. Combining his two years and Cal and his Nebraska statistics Ferragamo passed for 5,061 yards (almost three miles) and 46 touchdowns.

In the first home game of the season against TCU, Ferragamo tied a school record with four touchdown passes in a single game (throwing all in the first half), the Huskers would go on to beat the Horned Frogs 64-10 as Ferragamo would throw for 218 yards on 15 of 23 passes. Ferragamo’s season high in passing yards came in a 17-9 win against Miami where he threw for 264 yards, on Nebraska’s final scoring drive Ferragamo hit Dave Shablim on a 31-yard pass and capped the drive off with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Shablim. Against Kansas State Ferragamo would tie the school record again with four more touchdown passes (Ken Spaeth (1), Mark DuFresne (1), Bobby Thomas (2)) in a 51-0 shutout. In the final regular season game of the year against Hawaii Ferragamo tossed his 19th and 20th touchdown passes of the year, breaking Dave Humm’s 1972 record of 18 touchdown passes in one season, Nebraska went on to win the game 68-3.

Ferragamo’s record of 20 touchdown passes in one season would hold up until 2006, it was broken by Zac Taylor when he hit Todd Peterson on a four-yard touchdown pass against Texas A&M, going into the 2007-2008 season Taylor is the current record holder with 26 touchdown passes in one season. Ferragamo’s regular season passing yards of 2,071 in 1976 currently leaves him fourth behind Zac Taylor (2006 – 3,197 yards and 2005 – 2,653 yards) and Dave Humm (1972 – 2,074 yards) in single season passing yardage.

Ferragamo would repeat as an Academic All-Big 8 selection and would be selected as a Academic All-American. Ferragamo was also the recipient of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Scholarship Award.

1975 (Junior)Vince was the leader in the Huskers stretch drive to their 10-2 overall season and 6-1 conference mark that tied Oklahoma for the Big 8 crown. Ferragamo competed 79 of 134 passes for 1,153 yards and 12 touchdowns while only throwing five interceptions. Vince’s first start as a Husker came in a 16-0 win over Kansas, then he relived injured starter Terry Luck at OklahomaState and started every remaining Cornhusker game. For the performance against the Cowboys, Ferragamo accounted for all four Nebraska scores; he was named Big 8 and National Back of the Week. Vince was also named Chevrolet’s Offensive Player of the Game for his touchdown passes in Nebraska’s 30-7 win over Missouri. For his talented rookie performance, Ferragamo was selected by UPI as the Big 8’s Offensive Newcomer of the Year. Also good in the classroom Vince earned All-Big 8 Academic Honors.

Before Nebraska (Banning High School/University of California)Transfer and standout from the University of California, Vince sat out the 1974 season to gain eligibility. During his freshman and sophomore years at Cal, Vince started ahead of Steve Bartkowski, who in 1974 was an unanimous All-American selection. Vince earned All-America high school honors at Banning under his brother, Coach Chris Ferragamo.

PersonalSon of Vince and Stella Ferragamo, Vince was a Pre-Med Major in Arts and Sciences at Nebraska and was born on April 24, 1954.